Keep Your Eyes Closed - Chapter One : Premonitions
by Sakamoto Midori
Summary: Shinomori Aoshi has been having strange dreams that only Okashiras have the privilage of having - but what happens when Okina gets involved?


Keep Your Eyes Closed   
  
Written by : Stephanie Osborn (i.e Yuki_Tomoe)  
  
Note : this fic is sorta......weird. I know that Aoshi wouldn't show his emotions like this , but oh well..... :)  
  
CHAPTER ONE : Premonitions  
  
"Shinomori Aoshi...... leader of the Oniwabanshuu....." The elegant , feminine voice floated through the cool night air , and into his ear . Aoshi whipped around , only to find darkness and empty air .   
"I've found you at last , my quickfooted one." It echoed through the blackness .   
His glinting blue eyes scanned the area . Not one thing gave away his whereabouts .   
"Who are you?" He said , his voice as sharp as the two kodachi hanging from his side .   
"Oh it doesn't matter who I am , darling. Not yet , at least" The voice giggled , a light bubbly noise that brightened the thickness of the ebony woven around him . Aoshi pivoted on one foot , white coat swiveling with him . His eyes were ice blue , steel gray tints glistening with contained anger .   
Focus Shinomori.....don't let them sense your weakness..  
A sweet chuckle issued from wherever they all came from . The faint image of the same , innocent beauty stood before him , her smooth oak brown hair pinned into her eloquent bun , sensual brown eyes looking straight at him. Her lips formed into a radiant smile , as she walked towards him , his eyes widening with recognition .   
"Nani , you never answer me , donu-" Aoshi started with a gentle tone , until he embraced her and they kissed fervently , hungry for each other .   
The two lovers parted for air , as they adored each other . The girl rested her index finger on his well formed mouth , and she smiled softly .   
"When will it be time for us to meet for real , donu?"   
" Anata , I'll come for you soon dear , don't you worry..." Her image began to fade once again , but not before she caught the flustered Oniwabanshuu's hand . She pressed a blossom to his gloved hand .   
"Arigato..... Shinomori-san"   
He sighed , and fell to his knees . Staring at the blossom in his hand , his normally emotionless face crumpled as he fought off tears .   
"What is going on? Why is this happening?" he sighed , letting a single hot tear carve a long trail across his cheek .   
Aoshi was plunged completely into engulfing blackness .   
  
=========================================================  
  
Tousled and flustered , Sanosuke arose in the morning to utter chaos .  
"Busu!! I don't WANT your smelly porridge!"  
"WHAT?!?! Excuse ME YAHIKO-CHAN , but I doubt if YOU could do better!"  
"DON'T CALL ME CHAN BUSU!!!"  
Sano grinned to himself , and arose from the spare warm futon he spent the night in . Mornings at the Kamiya dojo were usually as chaotic as this - often this was due to Kaoru's cooking .   
"BUSU!!! Get Sano to eat it! Or Kenshin , since you two have gotten all lovely-dovey now!" Yahiko's voice echoed through the dojo .   
  
Silence .   
  
"WHAT?!!!!!!!!?!!!!!!!!!!!?!!!!!!!!!" Kaoru screamed , her shrill noises filling the air . A loud clanging of pots and the occasional scream of 'Chan', 'busu', and 'Oro!' followed .   
Sano grinned to himself , and was glad he wasn't present at the table at that very moment in time . He could see the scenario ; Kenshin sitting surprised as Kaoru and Yahiko attacked each other verbally and physically .   
Just as if she read his mind , Kaoru yelled for the 'lazy gangster bum that hung around last night' to do the dishes .   
"And make it snappy , you bum!" she snapped as he walked by , and handed him a pile of plates to clean.   
" Ah , and ohayo to you too Jou-Chan" The 'bum' smiled saucily at her . The crabby instructor was momentarily surprised at Zanza's politeness , then realized this was Sanosuke she was talking to .   
"Ohayo Sano , but sweet talking me won't get you out of doing the dishes" She smiled .  
" Well ," He shrugged "It was worth a try - would have been something wrong with me if ah didn't"  
Kaoru nodded understandingly "I understand that much Sagara-san ......... Now scoot!!" She nudged his shoulder to send him on his way . Sano grumbled .  
"Hmph . busu"   
Kaoru's outraged shrieks pierced Kenshin's ears . He smiled quietly to himself , his calm violet eyes floating on the sight of his beloved Kaoru beating on their lanky friend .   
"Jou-chan , would you kindly remove your teeth from my ear? it's beginning to get irritatating now"  
"Mou!! I will not you evil smelly person!!!!" Kaoru frowned and pummeled on Sano's shoulder with her tightly clenched fists .   
"Fine fine!! Sorry Jou-chan , didn't know you would get so pissed" Sano grinned , and sauntered off with the dishes .   
Kaoru realized Kenshin was watching her . His violet eyes bore into her back .   
"Yeesh!! You men are all the same!!" She picked up his tray , and stormed off with it , 'accidentally' treading on Kenshin's bare foot in her wooden clogs .   
"OROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
Kaoru grinned to herself as she left the room , and skipped merrily across the hallway , to where Sano was waiting .   
"Ohayo , Kaoru" he stuck his foot out , and she went crashing into the next room , landing on a futon with a soft 'whump'  
"SAGARA SANOSUKE!!!!!! GET YOUR ASS OUTTA HERE NOW!!!!!!!!" Kaoru screamed , as she fought to get out of the tangled sheets .   
He smiled and plopped the plates on another futon   
" Hasta la vista , donu" He took one last mental picture of the hilarious scene before him , and left immidiately , whistling as he strided out of the Kamiya dojo , fishbone in his mouth   
  
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Aoshi's eyes flicked open , to see two royal blue ones staring back at him .   
Kuso , why can't she just let me alone!  
"Misao-donu?" Aoshi said , raising his arms above his head in an extravagant stretch .   
"Hai!! It's me , Aosh-sama!!" Misao grinned , as she kneeled before him.   
"Yes , what is it?"   
"Mou!! I thought you'd appreciate my efforts to bring you breakfast in bed!" Misao smiled , and cheerily lifted the tray of Miso soup , rice and egg onto his lap . Aoshi stared at it , thinking of the dream from the previous night .  
hmmmm...... maybe this will make me feel better........ but still , this is the third week I've had this weird dream for....  
"Arigato , Misao-donu." Aoshi nodded , a glimmer of a smile on his lips . Misao grinned happily .  
"But next time , knock before you come in , okay? You might not know who's in here." Aoshi whispered under his breath "or what...."   
"Mou! I always get Okina to check what your doing before I come in!"   
"........Okina?"   
Misao blushed . She sat on the floor , and curled a loose tendril of hair around her finger .  
"Well , I didn't want to come in and wake you if you were in the company of another person.... And Okina wanted to check up on you anyway , so....." She drifted off , catching his gaze with hers .   
"Well...." Aoshi was uncomforitable , but never showed his emotions , even to the young Oniwabanshuu . Looking away , he stared at his knuckles for a while . Then he shoved any feelings of discomfort away, and turned to Misao's expectant form .   
"Arigato , Misao-chan" He dismissed her , and put the tray on the floor as she left . Misao sighed , and wandered out the door , muttering about crabby okashiras.   
"Okina wanted to check on me? Why?" he wondered , staring at a fascinating crack in the ceiling . "Ever since I came back to Kyoto , I haven't done anything apart from meditate and study ." Resting back against the pillow , he put his ungloved hands against the back of his head, feeling his soft black hair crumpled against his skin . "Maybe he's still wary of me and Misao....." He stopped . "No , probably it was because of Misao giving me back the title of Okashira-" He stopped , as Okina entered the room , his light footsteps not making a sound on the wooden floor .   
" Ohayo Okashira" The old man bowed his head in respect , and raised it again , his one eye staring into Aoshi's .   
" Ohayo Okina - how are you this fine morning?" Aoshi sighed , and sat up , running his fingers through his untamed mane .   
Okina smiled grimly at Aoshi " I just thought I'd get Misao-chan to watch you for a while . I don't need to say why , I hope Shinomori-san"   
Aoshi glanced at the sturdy old man , looking briefly at his craggy face with it's hat of bandages , and slowly down to the walking stick he supported himself on . It hadn't been long ago when the two semi enemies had duel together , Aoshi mangling 'gramps' before Misao's very eyes . How she had managed to forgive him , was beyond his knowledge .   
" No , it's not because of that , my son" Okina grinned , as if he was reading Aoshi's thoughts . "You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about"  
Aoshi froze , his bangs swinging over his eyes in mid head toss .   
that old bastard couldn't have......no.......  
"You mean....... my.....?" Aoshi stopped , for once his emotions reaching into his voice . His face however , was unchanged and composed .   
"Yes Okashira , I know about your nightmares . I've known ever since you woke up crying , three weeks ago ."   
Shit. He's good  
"So you want to know the deal?" Aoshi sighed   
"Yes"   
" But...... why? Why do you need to know what goes on in my private life? I'm 26 , I've killed hundreds of men , I think I know how to take care of myself , okay Gramps?" He stared into Okina's eyes , his cold steel blue ones glinting with otherwise unshown irritation .   
" Aoshi" Okina took a deep breath leaned against the wall , breathing heavily . "It is a strange phenomenon that every Okashira in the Oniwabanshuu goes through - EVERY SINGLE ONE ." He grinned "even Misao did , so don't feel too special about it , kay?"  
The young man rolled his eyes   
"Your point is.......?"   
Okina shook his head violently , and continued on "As I was saying , every Okashira in the Oniwabanshuu has had a vision of their futures" His eyes grew solemn "Misao had one of a giant black crane swipping me away , leaving her alone and scared for you."  
He glanced again at the pale face of the oniwabanshuu leader   
"You were that black crane , Aoshi . It had your steel blue eyes , and silver talons that ripped me to shreds"   
Aoshi rested his head on his hands , then looked up at Okina , who's face had grown serious with the mentioning of their fierce battle .   
"Well........" the okashira frowned ever so slightly "Maybe Misao and I are maybe mutants in the line of Okashiras. I haven't heard from anyone else about this before ." He turned his gaze to the craggy face of the old man   
"Aoshi-sama , for once in your life please let someone help you . You don't know everything ." Okina smirked and leaned back against a wall , rubbing the handle of his walking stick with his hands .   
Aoshi's eyes narrowed " Okay , but if you tell anyone about this , I won't be held responsable for my actions"   
Okina smirked again , his one eye answering the young man's questions wordlessly. Aoshi opened his mouth and began to give the details to Okina , not pausing for one moment to give the old fellow an oppertunity to comment on his state of mind .   
  
  
Okay , it's crap I know , but hey! I was bored!  
Expect Chapter 2 soon! Flame and maim me at ZellsGirl@fantasysquare.com  



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